James Clarke heads Newport County to win against Walsall

James Clarke struck with four minutes left to earn a 2-1 win when he powerfully headed in his first goal for the club from a cross by Cameron Norman, who he had followed to the Exiles from the Saddlers in the summer.

It was no less than County deserved after a superb first-half response to their disappointment in midweek against Northampton.

They got their noses in front when Mickey Demetriou scored from a scramble after a ninth-minute corner but wasted a chance to double the lead when captain Matty Dolan saw a penalty saved.

County paid the price in injury time when Tyrese Shade slammed a shot past Nick Townsend at his near post.

It was mystifying, and cruel, for Michael Flynn’s side to be pegged back after such dominance and it looked like being two points dropped until defender Clarke got the winner.

The performance would have pleased the boss regardless but three points settles the nerves after a worrying display against the Cobblers.

OPENER: Mickey Demetriou slammed in for County

Flynn was true to his word and rang the changes after that loss with only three players – centre-back Demetriou, right-back Cameron Norman and teenage midfielder Aneurin Livermore – keeping their starting spots.

Townsend came in for goalkeeper Joe Day because of injury with County opting for seven outfield players on the bench rather than use 17-year-old Evan Ovendale as cover.

James Clarke, who arrived from Walsall along with Norman in the summer, came into a three-man defence with captain Dolan.

Aaron Lewis got the nod ahead of Ryan Haynes down the left while Ed Upson was back from illness to provide some calm next to Livermore.

Swansea midfielder Ollie Cooper was in support of little and large strikeforce of Alex Fisher and Dom Telford.

Midfielder Chris Missilou made a return to the Exiles’ bench and there was a first outing for forward Courtney Baker-Richardson, a summer signing who suffered a quad injury in the build-up to the first game of the season.

County made a superb start, sharp with their passing and movement.

Lewis fired in a dangerous cross that just eluded the diving Telford after four minutes but the Exiles got the lead their intent deserved in the ninth minute.

Dolan swung in a deep corner from the left, Upson nodded it into the box and Demetriou slammed home from close range after the ball had bobbled around.

The Exiles needed to keep the pressure on and it took scrambling defence to deny Telford with both a block of his shot and then an attempted pass to Cooper after a well-timed run.

It was one-way traffic but a warning came in the 18th minute when a counter-attack led to Upson being booked for a nibbling foul, a wise decision from an experienced player but one that put him under pressure for the rest of the game.

County were given a first warning after 26 minutes when Kieran Phillips outfoxed Demetriou down the right and drive a cross between Townsend and his defence, only for no forward to get on the end of it.

The Exiles were racking up the shots, albeit without really stressing fresh-faced Saddlers goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, with Norman, Upson, Livermore and Cooper all having a dart.

County would have been good value for a 2-0 lead and had a golden chance when Demetriou was wrestled to the ground attempting to get onto a Norman cross.

Referee Lee Swabey awarded the penalty but Dolan’s effort, side-footed to his left, was saved by Rushworth.

County needed to see out the half after that disappointment but failed to do that after Shade cut in on his right and fired past Townsend from outside the box, an effort that the keeper will have been very disappointed to be beaten by at his near post.

The Exiles were excellent in the first half but had to go again if they were to win for the first time in Newport this season.

Yet they were worryingly close to going behind five minutes after the restart when Townsend sold Emmanuel Osadebe a dummy but then shanked a clearance under pressure from the forward a couple of yards off his line.

It was County’s turn to go close after 53 minutes when the ball fell to Telford inside the box but his left-footed effort was weak and Rushworth saved to his right when he should not have been given a chance.

Flynn made his first change after 56 minutes when Baker-Richardson came on for his debut in place of targetman Fisher to stretch the Saddlers’ defence.

Walsall had grown into the game and were denied by the woodwork on 64 minutes when, after Dolan had given away possession, the ball ricocheted in the area and George Miller’s shot looped onto the bar.

County responded with another chance, Aston Villa loanee Finn Azaz coming on for Livermore, and they needed to reassert their authority.

DELIGHT: James Clarke's header hits the back of the net

A lot of players seemed to be flagging on a muggy afternoon and Flynn made his final change after 77 minutes, introducing the industry of Chris Missilou for Upson to try and avoid being caught on the break.

Telford was again denied by Rushworth with seven minutes to go when his curling left-footed effort, similar to his stunner against Plymouth, was palmed behind for a corner.

It looked like it was going to be a frustrating afternoon but then a corner was taken short rather than being launched and Norman set up his old pal Clarke to head home.

This time the Exiles defended with concentration and determination to ensure there were no injury-time slips.

County: Townsend, Clarke, Dolan (captain), Demetriou, Norman, Lewis, Upson (Missilou 77), Livermore (Azaz 65), Cooper, Telford, Fisher (Baker-Richardson 56).
Substitutes: Farquharson, Haynes, Ellison, Abraham.
Yellow: Upson

Walsall: Rushworth, White, Ward, Monthe, Kinsella, Osadebe, Miller, Phillips, Earing, Menayese, Shade.
Substitutes: Rose, Taylor, Kiernan, Bates, Willis, Perry, Mills.

Referee: Lee Swabey
Attendance: 3,825 (547 away)